<<Print>>

The President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, is expected to deliver a message on the state of the nation tomorrow, February 25, 2014. This is in accordance with Article 67 of the 1992 Constitution. This was contained in the business statement for next week which was released to the House on Friday. Article 67 of the 1992 Constitution states: �The President shall, at the beginning of each session of Parliament, and before a dissolution of Parliament, deliver to Parliament a message on the state of the nation.� Wednesday, February 26, 2014 The Minister of Health, Ms Sherry Ayitey, is expected to appear before the House to answer questions filed by members. The questions stand in the name of Mr Kennedy Nyarko Osei (NPP, Akim Swedru); Mr Solomon Namliit Boar (NDC, Bunkpurugu); Mr Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi (NPP, Asante-Akim Central); Ms Patricia Appiagyei (NPP, Asokwa) and Mr Frank Boakye Agyen (NPP, Effiduase Asokore). Mr Osei seeks to know from the minister what plans the ministry has for the construction of a district hospital in Akim Swedru, the district capital of Birim South, while Mr Boar seeks to ascertain why Bunkpurugu-Yunyoo has no district hospital. Mr Anyimadu-Antwi, for his part, wants the minister to tell the House when the newly proposed hospital at Konongo would be constructed, while Ms Appiagyei seeks to know what measures the ministry is putting in place to expand and improve the facilities at the Kumasi South Hospital which has been upgraded to the status of a regional hospital. Mr Agyen will seek to know from the minister what steps are being taken to upgrade the facilities at the district hospital at Effiduase to enable it to serve the catchment area more effectively. The Speaker may admit statements. The following papers would be presented: The annual report of the National Commission for Civic Education for the year 2011; the proposed formula for distributing the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) for the year 2014; the proposed formula for the disbursement of the National Health Insurance Levy (NHIL) and the proposed formula for the distribution of the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) for the year 2014. The Chairman of the Finance Committee, Mr James Klutse Avedzi, is expected to move a motion for the adoption of the report of the committee on the financial agreement between Ghana and the International Development Association (IDA) for an amount of $30 million and a grant of $10 million from the Statistics for Results Facility Catalytic Fund to finance the Ghana Statistics Development Project. The Health Committee will also move a motion for the adoption of its report on the commercial agreement between Ghana and Bouygues Batiment International of France for the design, construction, procurement and installation of equipment for the upgrading and major rehabilitation of the Greater Accra Regional Hospital at Ridge. The Committee of the Whole will be briefed by the Chairman of the Electoral Commission, Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, on preparations towards the district assembly elections. The Trademarks (Amendment) Bill, 2013 and the Plant Breeders� Bill, 2013 would be taken through the consideration stage. Thursday, February 27 2014 On Thursday, the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Nana Oye Lithur, will brief the House on the plight of female head porters, popularly known as Kayayei. The Committee of the Whole will present its reports on the proposed formula for the distribution of the DACF, the NHIF and the GETFund for 2014. The reports are expected to be adopted by the House after they are presented. A motion to thank the President, Mr John Mahama, for the message on the state of the nation would be moved and the debate would commence. The Minister of Education, Prof. Naana Jayne Opoku-Agyeman, would appear before the House to answer questions on what steps the ministry was taking to improve infrastructure in some educational institutions in the country. Friday, February 28, 2014 On Friday, the Minister of Roads and Transport, Alhaji Amin Amidu Sulemani, will appear before the House to answer questions he was scheduled to answer last Friday (February 21, 2014). The questions border on what steps the ministry is taking to improve the road networks in certain parts of the country. The third reading of the Anti-Money Laundering (Amendment) will take place. The debate on the President�s state of the nation address would continue, while the Excise Duty Bill, 2013 would be taken through the consideration stage. Committee meetings would be held on Friday.